The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-05
A STEAMERS PERIL.
Encountering Terrific Gale on
Its Way to New York.
A Quartermaster Killed and Three
Others of the Grew Badly Hurt,

The steamship La Champagne, Of the
French line, recently left Havre for New
York, on what proved to be most eventful
voyage. For the first three days, says the
New York Herald, she experienced heavy
storms and head seas, but the fourth day
out the wind veered, the weather was bright
and clear, and the thousand souls on board
began to congratulate themselves on the
probability of the remainder of their trip be.
ing pleasant.
ing Forties." On the 18th heavy clouds
loomed up on the horizon, the barometer fell
rapidly. and the wind began to blow with
great violence till at four o'clock in the
afternoon whole gale was blowing and the
head seas were very heavy.
The ship was in that region known to sail
ors as the "Roaring Forties," about latitude
north forty degrees and longitude west forty
degrees. As the night wore on the gale in
creased to hurricane, and Captain Traub
was obliged to lower the speed of the good
ship so as to keep only enough steeraSe way
ON her to point her head to the wind. In
fact she had to lie to in the same way sail
ing vessel would.
This, considering the fact that La Cham.
pagne is one of the largest and finest steamers
afloat, should give some idea of the force of
the hurricane and the size of the waves.
While the storm was at its worst, about
nine o'clock p. NJ, one Of those sad accidents
occurred which will happen in spite of all the
care and vigilance of officers. The mast,
leeward by the force Of the wind
and a couple of hands were sent
forward on the turtleback to adjust it, Ow-
ing to the darkness and the tossing Of the
vessel they were a little slow in this, and the
boatswain's mate and quartermaster went
forward to hurry them up and to assist
them.
While oil four were standing together on
the forward turtleback the vessel made Q
dip and a mountainous wave rushed over
her, carrying the men off their feet and
grinding them against the deck fixtures, SC
that when, Immediately afterward, assistance
reached them, the quartermaster was found
to be dead and his companions not much bet
ter off.
All night the storm continued to increase
in violence. until at 5 o'clock Captain Traut
admitted that in all his experience at sea be
had never before seen anything like it.. One
wave in particular is declared by all who
witnessed it to be phenomenal one and to
Waves. 1t was d'scernible long distance
ahead lifting its white crest many feet above
its fellows.
Itwas the supreme effort of the storm, and
shortly after the wind was perceived to be
abating and la Champagne was soon pur-
suing her way at the usual rate of speed.
On the morning Of the 1Ith burial services
were read over the body Of the unfortunate
auartermaster, and it was then consigned tt
its water grave. The quartermaster's name
was Jean Marie Philippe, and he leaves
widow opd c,uera1 rhi1dren for whom a gen.
erous subscription was at once taken up by
the cabin passengers.
The remainder of the voyage was unusual
ly pleasant and La Champagne reached New
York on the 2Oth without further mishap.
La Chami agne is the crack ship Of the line
and one of the largest and most handsomely
appointed of transatlantic steamers. Ere
auently she carries from twelve to thirteen
hundred passengers.